Car roof



March 5, 1929- A. R. WILSON CAR ROOF original Filed t. 13, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet altar/M11110 March 5, WILSQN CAR ROOF Original Filed Sept. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet noenloe Patented filler. 5, 1929.

nnirsn, STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

nrrnnn wrrison, OF'IDETBOIT, MICHIGAN, Assrenon, BY Masha ASSIGNMENTS, To nnronrns can noorrn'e COMPANY, or nnrnorr, MICHIGAN, A oonroun'rron or nnnewnnn.

CAR ROOF.

Application filed September 13, 1926, Serial No. 135,216. Renewed September 1, 1928.

The invention relates to car roofs of that general type in which relatively movable metallic roofingsheets are laid upon a roof frame and are secured thereto together with provision for weather proofing the joints between said sheets and at the ridge and the eaves. More specifically the invention relates to that tyoe of construction where sheets and weather proofing means ofstandard construction are applicable to car frames of different dimensions particularly as to width. It is the object of the invention to obtain an improved construction of frame for receiving such roofs and to this end the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings;

V Figure 1 is a plan view of a car roof partly broken away to show a roof frame for my improved construction.

Figure 2 is a cross section through one half of the roof and Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section tl'irough the central portion of the roof.

In the construction of roof frames designed to receive roofsof the type above referred to,

it is usual to provide a series of carlines ex-- tending from caves to eaves, a ridge pole at the center of said car-lines extending from end to end of the car and one or more intermediate purlines between the ridge pole and caves. The roofing sheets rest upon the ridge pole and purlines and are clamped down thereon usually through the medium of the weather proofing caps at the ridge and between adjacent sheets. ll here a standard construction of roof is applied to such car frames, the roofing sheets are always arranged with their outer ends in predetermined relation to the eaves but their inner or ridge ends are variously positioned according to the width of the car. Thus, it frequently happens that with wide cars the sheets are too short to extend to the ridge pole which necessitates additional members on the car frame for supporting the inner ends of the sheets. Such variation in width is provided for by ridge caps of sutlicient width to accommodate the maximum outward adjustment of the sheets but this cap does not afford any support for the sheets.

To simplify the construction I have modified the roof frame by dispensing with the usual ridge pole and substituting therefor a divided ridge pole with its sections spaced upon opposite sides of the center of the car. Such a construction will aflord supportlfor the inner ends of the sheets where they would be too short to engage a central ridge pole and also will support the sheetsequally Well where they extend to a point nearer the center of the car. This is for the reasonthat the ridge cap will cover the portion ofthe plates projecting inward beyond the divided ridge pole and will thus protect them from any load on the roof.

In detail and as shown in the drawings A is one of the side plates, B the carlines eX- tending between said side plates having outer portions conforming to the pitch of the car roof and a central portion B extending horizontally. C are purlines secured to the under side of the carlines and extending longitudinally of the car frame intermediate the ridge and the eaves. D and D are the two sections of the divided ridge pole which are arranged on opposite sides of the center of the car but are so spaced as to still remain beneath the idge cap. This ridge cap E is of a width to provide for all variations in the width of the ear frame so that the same standard sheets 'F may be used on such varying widths. The divided ridge pole D, D preferably rests on the top of the carlincs and is secured thereto by suitable means such as the bolts G. The top faces of the sections are oppositely inclined and correspond respectively with the pitch of the opposite sides of the roof frame. They are also arranged in the plane of the roofing sheets and in such a position as to still provide hearing for the inner ends of the sheets even with car frames of maximum width. The two sections can be formed of stock of smaller dimensions than the single central ridge pole which therefore eifects a saving in costwhile the combined stren th of the two sections is greater than that of the single pole. Thus I have secured a more advantageous construction without increase in cost or any diminution in strength.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. In a flexible car roof the combination with roofing sheets extending from the caves to points adjacent the ridge, of a divided ridge pole for supporting the inner ends of said sheets, the sections. of said ridge pole beingspaced apart.

2. In a car roof, the combination with roofing sheets extending from the eaves toWard the ridge, of a relatively Wide ridge Weather proofing cap overlapping said sheets and a divided ridge pole having the sections thereof spaced on opposite sides of the ridge and adjacent to the bearings of said ridge cap on said sheets.

8. In a flexible car roof of the caves to ridge type, a roof frame comprising side plates, carlines extending across between said side plates and a divided ridge pole having the sections thereof spaced on opposite sides of the ridge and secured to said carlines;

i. In a flexible car roof of the eaves to ridge type, a roof frame comprising side plates, carlines ext-ending between said side plates and having outer portions conforming to the pitch of the roof and a central horizontal portion and a divided ridge pole having the sections thereof spaced on opposite sides of the ridge extending above said carlines and secured thereto, the top surfaces of said sections conforming to the pitch of the roof and in the planes of the respective pitch portions of the carlines.

5. In a car roof, the combination with roofing sheets extending from the eaves toward the ridge and a Weather proofing ridge cap overlapping said sheets, of a roof frame comprising side plates, carlines extending between said side plates and having opposite end portions conforming to the pitch of the roof and supporting said sheets with a central horizontal portion and a divided ridge pole and having sections thereof adjacent to the hearings of said ridge cap on said sheets extending over and secured to said central portion of the carline, the upper faces of said sections conforming to the pitch of the roof supporting said sheets.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si nature.

ALFRED R. WIITSON. 

